Film-pack for three-color photography.



` F. E. IvEs. FILM PACK FOR THREE COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY.

APPLICATION FILED PERM, 1907.

Patented July 6, 1909.

v tical'requirements or come into practical'use- FREDERIC E. IVES, OFNVEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY.

FILM-PACK FOR THREEfCOLOR PHO'IOGrIAIPIHIY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed February 14, 1907. Serial No. 357,248.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERTC E. IvEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVoodcliffe-on-the-Hudson, lVeehawken, New Jersey, have invented an Improved Film- Pack for Three Color Photography, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a comparatively simple and, practical means for producing the `three negatives required for carrying out the so-called three color process of color photography. For most forms of this process three separate negative images are required, made on colorscn f sitive plates exposed in the camera through color screens to represent the relative distribution of the three green and blue-violet, in the objects to be re produced. 'I-Ieretofore, this has usually been accomplished either by successive exposures or'by a single exposure in a special camera, a number of such cameras having been preriously patented by me.

Successive exposures are impracticable for some subjects, as, for instance, when the objects are not perfectly,stationary or the light is fluctuating, while the special single eX- posure tri-chromatic cameras are complicated and cost-ly and their capacity is limited in various ways. It is very desirable, therefore, to provide a lpracticable means for em-A ploying, in this class of work, cameras of ordinary construction, in such manner that an ordinarily expert photographer can, without special experience in color photography, produce negatives of the character required. Vith the view of meeting this requirement it has been proposed to superpose the necessary color-scnsitive plates or films, with in tei-posed pcllicle color screens, in a single plateholdcr, but this plan did not meet pracbecause it involved too many-reflecting surfaces and too great a separation of the planes of the sensitive surfaces. `It has also been proposed to make a composite film on a single glass plate, which is also objectionable because it involves elaboratespecial processes of manufacture and delicate and troublesome after processes of stripping the films apart and pre aring them for development in order to o tain the separate developed negatives. Y

The object of my invention is to overcome these objections, an object which I vattain in fundamental colors, red,

l spectrum rays to the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, in which Figure` l is an exaggerated sectional perspective view of a film pack made in accord- G0 ance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a light-proof casing or envclop usually employed in connection with the film pack, the latter being shown partially withdrawn from said envelop.

I first take a plate- 1 of glass, or` other relatively rigid and transparent material, and apply to one face of the same a film 2, preferably of bromid of silver in gelatin, of exceptionally fine grain and transparency and sensitive chiefly to the blue-violet and ultra-violet spectrum rays, suitable ,plates for this purpose approximating in character those employed in' the Lippmann process. This sensitive plate l is for the negative to be made chiey by the blue and blue-violet spectrum rays and it is ultimately to be. placed in the camera with the uncoatcd face of the plate facing the objective. As thefirst element in my film pack, namely the plate 1 80 coated 'as aforesaid absorbs most of those which it is sensitive it serves -as a color screen for `-the succeeding' element, a greelrsensitive film, but, as* t-he absorption may not be perfect for this pu-rpose, I usually flow over the face of the bluesensitive film an alcoholic solution of a water soluble yellow dye of suitable shade and in-` tensity tomake the combined absorption act as a suitable screen for the green-sensitive film. lThe evaporation or drying off of the alcohol leaves a superficial color film 3 all on the surface and-not diffused into the gelatin film, and of such exceeding tenuity as t0 add practically nothing to the material 95 thickness of the sensitive plate or number of reflecting surfaces. The second element is. thin Celluloid or collodion .41 coated with a green-sensitive bromid `of silver and gelatin film 5 and I place this element s o coated 100 preferably with the film side away from the film on the first plate. The third element is aplate 6 of `glass. or other relatively rigid material, coated with ared sensitive gelatin broinid film 8 and the plate G is preferably 105 backed with a sheet 7 of black papel' or other material impervious to light. This plate 6 with its sensitive film 8 is first coated with an alcoholic solution of a Water soluble red or orange dye of such character as may be 1,10

- `since these to the blue-sensitive f'aces. The plate (3 with its sensitive film 8A and coated as above mentioned with the film J is placed with its sensitive film 8 against the green sensitive film 5. The three sensitive surfaces are then practically in material contact that is to say not separated by a separate lintervening vfilm or a measurable air space and are held perfectly fiat by the relatively rigid supports of the red-sensitive and blue-sensitive surfaces, which also serve to protect them from mechanical injury and exposure to air. I then, by preference, bind the edges of the pack together by means of a strip of paper l() or other material so as to produce a film pack which may be handled exactlylike a single plate in ordinary photography. After exposure the elements of the pack can be readily separated one from another by cutting the binding strips and the separated films can be developed, fixed, and washed in the usual way in order to obtain the three nega-fives required4` for carrying out the various three-color processes, tho water soluble color screens ot' the rod-sensitive and blue-sel'lsitive plates heilig re moved by the dissolving to which the plates are .ing these operations.

In order to prevent spotting or streaking of the superliclal color deposit constituting each color screen it is preferable to dilute, with from five to ten per cent. of Water, the alcohol em loyed as a solvent of the dye stuff. If dizsired, the red or orange color screen may be applied to the face of the green-sensitive film instead of to that of the action of the liquids subjected in performred-sensitive film and the yellow screen ma be applied to the back of the Celluloid or collodion which carriessaid green-sensitive lm, but the method of procedure first described is preferred because of the relatively rigid character of the plates Which carry the blue-sensitive and red-sensitive films plates are not subject' to the swelling or distortion which might follow Ythe a b a plication of the color solution -to such the absence of the light-proof backing applied to the back 'ofthe plate carrying-- the red-sensitive film 'the pack would have to be'handled in darkness when applying it to the plate' holder because of the-extreme sensitiveness of sa-id'red-sensitive film, but, When the backing is used, a Weak ruby light may be employed in the dark room if care y as a thin celluloid or collodion film.`

isA exercised to prevent access of the same to the face of the pack either directlyy or by reflection.

To protect the film pack during transportation or when in storage, and also to facilitate the safe handling ofthe same in the dark room, I inclose the pack in a lightproof casing or envelop 11, preferably with the bl lie-sensitive plate toward the face of thelatter, whereby, the plate can be slipped from the same with the protected side 7 uppermost and placed in the plate holder without turning the face of the pack toward the light.

lVhile, for convenience of handling and to preserve the proper relation ofthe various elements of the film pack, I prefer to bind v the edges, or at least two o f the edges, of the same 1n the manner described,- t-his is not absolutely essential, for, if the vfront and rear plates are r sufficiently rigid,xen0u0fh pressure may be exerted upony them in tie plate holder to retain them in proper relation to cach other and in proper position in the holder. In order to avoid,in the claims,

the use of alternateiphrases, I have denomi-` nated as a member each of the plates or films to which the color sensitive coating or emulsion is applied, have distinguished the latter by the term coating and have a plied the term fil 1 or deposit of coloring matter.

I claim 1. As an element of a film pack for three color photography, a member having thereupon a dry, superficial and solublc'monochrome film acting as a color screen.

2. As an element of a filml pack for three color photography, sitive coating upon its face and having directly upon said coating a dry, superficlal and soluble monochrome film acting as a color screen.

3. As an element of a film pack for three color photograph a member having there upon a dry, attenuated, superficial and soluble monochrome film acting as a color,

screen.

4. As an element of a film pack for three color photograph a member having a sensitive coating upon its face and having directly upon said coating a dry, attenuated, superficial and soluble monochrome film' acting as a color screen.

5.' A film pack for three-color photography, said film pack comprising three memcrs, each having a coatino of a color-sensitiveness 'different from eitlicr of the others, and a color screen interposed between pair of said members, superficial and soluble material applied to one of saidmembers.

6. A film pack for three-color photography, said lflm pack comprising essentially, but three members with colorsensitiveeoat each and consistmg of a deposit of coloring when the envelop is opened,

color screen to the thin` a member having'a senin and interposed color screens, the whole greater transparency than 'thoseof the other bemg bound together at the edges to con-l members. stitute a unitary body.

`7. A ilml pack for three-color photograname to this specification, in the presence of 5 hy, said lm pack comprising three memtwo subscribing Witnesses.

ers the outer members having coatings sensitive respectively to blue and red and the FREDERIC IVES' intermediate member having a coating sensi- Witnees:

tive to green, the `coating of the blue-sensi-v LLEWELYN WATTS,

1'0. tive member being of notably finer gram and HERBERT O.v PRENTICE.

In testimonyv whereof, I have signed 

